Reds agree Whitehead fee

18th June 2013

Salford City Reds have agreed a transfer fee with Bradford Bulls for unsettled second row forward Elliott Whitehead.

The 23-year-old has been in limbo since shocking the Bulls earlier this month by asking for a move, with coach Francis Cummins refusing to select him.

Salford owner Marwan Koukash says he has agreed a "substantial" fee with Bradford for the highly-rated Whitehead and is hoping to finalise a move in time for Friday's home game against St Helens.

"That would be nice," Koukash said. "We've agreed a deal with the club and now it's up to the player.

"We are talking to him now to see if we can agree personal terms. He's a quality player."

The Bulls were thought to be asking for at least £100,000 for Whitehead, who is under contract with them until the end of 2016.

The Bradford-born player told Cummins that he did not feel the club were making the progress he had anticipated and that he wished to join a top-four side.

The Reds are currently bottom of Super League after having two points deducted for having 14 players on the pitch during their win over Castleford Tigers in April but Koukash has ambitions to transform their fortunes over the next five years.

Koukash said today the club has "five or six" major new signings for 2014 "over the line" with more in the pipeline, although he declined to name any of the targets.

"At this stage of the season it would be unfair of me to name them," he said. "Out of respect to their clubs, we're keeping their identities secret at this time."